Substance isolated from the apocynaceæ and process of producing the same.



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LTJ'DWIG'TAUB AND GEORG EI'CKEVJIRTl-l', 0F EIBERFELD. GERMANY, ASSIGNDRS T0 FARBENFATBRIKEN 'VORIVE. BAYER 6t 30; 0? ELBERFELD, GERMANY, A

CGRPOPMA'I'ION 0F GERMANY.

SUBSE'ANCH FROM THE AFOCYNAGEZE AND ERUGESS 0F PRODUCING THE" SAME.

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To all whom it may concern Be it known that We, Loowio TAUH and (linens Frcxswmru, citizens of the German Empire, residing at; Elhcrfeld, Germany, have invented new and useful Improve merits in Substances Isolated from the Apocynaceae and Frocesses of Producing products of uncertain composition, have been" prepared, also crystalline products, such as apocynin; but none of these reparations act like the drug, apocynin icetovanillon) in a pure state being even almost Without effect A crystalline product of in. p. 170 to 175 and to which the name apooynainarin has been given has also been prepared which, from. its action on certain, animals, was

thought to represent the real active princile (Moore, Trans. (/hem, S00. 1909, I, p. 134). But its action upon human beings has been found to differ distinctly from that of the fluid extracts of the drug and the product like all the others probably represents a product of conversion of the real principle, the formation of which is due to the method of isolation used.

The present invention relates to the preparation of a new physiologically active product, diilering from. any heretofore known, and also differing from the drug. It possesses the same valuable properties as the fluid extracts heretofore used as a diuretic and cardiac tonic, and offers the advantage over them of exact dosage and subcutaneous injection, but it differs from the drug inasmuch as it does not act as an eX- pectorant and diaphoretic in malaria and pneumonia and is not efiectire asa remedy in jaundice In the process of its preparation the isolation is carried out under conditions which prevent the conversion of this new substance into such products as Were heretofore produced. As a result a uniform Specification of Letters Patent.

l atented @ct, 13, 1914.,

Application filed September 4, 1912. Serial No. 718,497.

product, crystallizable from methyl alcohol in the form of colorless shiny prisms isobtained.

The process of the present invention comprises making an extract of the Weed, in

removing from this extract resinous constituents and in purifying the resulting eX- tract and isolating the desired product Without subjecting the material during any stage of the treatment to too high temperature or to prolonged treatment with boiling Water and steam. If the extract is strongly acid it is advantageously neutralized early in the process.

The preparation of the novel product of the present invention is further illustrated by the following example: 1000 parts of colnminuted rhizome of the Apocynum 0cmnabz'num or and'rosrmnifoZum' are extracted with boiling carbon tetrachlorid until the extracted product loses its intensely bitter taste. The light yellow extract resulting is concentrated at reduced pressure. The syrupy residue is taken up with 1000 parts of alcohol. and is treated with water until no more resin separates and the resin thus separated is removed by filtration. To the filtrate is added a solution of basic lead acetate and the prec1p1tate formed IS 111 turn vfiltered oil, and the excess of lead in solution precipitated from the filtrate by hydrogen sulfid and filtered oil". The lead-l ee filtrate is concentrated in mono to 100 iparts and the resulting residue is extracted in chloro form in which the new substance is easily soluble. The, chloroform solution, aiter having been dried over sodium sulfate, is

treated with ether, whereupon the imphrities are precipitated and thus removed. Oh addition of petroleum other or ligroin the new substance is now separated in the form of a colorless amorphous precipitate which is crystallized from methyl alcohol. The

substance thus obtained crystallizes from or- 1 gnnic sohcnts in colorless shiny prisms of exceedingly bitter taste which begin to be come liquid at about and which melt at to to a clear liquid. The novel product thus obtained is diflicultly soluble in cold Water and ligroin, but more easily solu-- his in hot Water and inmost other organic solvents. Instead of using the root as in the above example, other parts oi the plant,

, extracts such as the bark, can be used. And instead of the iripocg num commie-mm other Apocy- 7&(60866 can be employed, 6. g. elpocynu'm androsam'ifolium, Apoc-ynum renal/um, etc. Instead of carbon tetrachlorid in the above example, other solvents could be employed, 6. g. benzol, chloroform, diehlorethylene. With these solvents the comminuted product is percolated either warm or cold, or extracted at boiling temperature, care being taken that water is excluded from contact with the extracts which are reacting still acid.

The novel product of the present invention is also obtainable from the commercial fluid extracts by treatment with such organic solvents as carbon tetrachlorid which permit the separation of the new substance from the sugar of the extract. The fluid are advantageously previously treated with inert substances, for example, sand, kieselguhr, sawdust, anhydrous sodium sulfate. The new product can also be separated from the resinous constituents of the extract containing it, and from amor phous products heretofore produced containing it, by fractional extraction with such solvents as ether in which the new substance and the impurities have different solubilities:

We claim z- 1. A physiologically active product which crystallizes from methyl alcohol in colorless shiny prisms of exceedingly bitter taste which begin to become liquid at about and which melt at to i l-.0 to a clear liquid, insoluble in ligroin, diliicultly soluble in' cold water and more easily soluble in hot water, and possessing the valuable diuretic and eardiactonic properties of the apocynum. p

2. The process of isolating a phvsiologiucy/1a cally active product from the ilpocg uucccc, u hich comprises forming an extract of such Aponynacca?,iconccntrating the thus obtained. extract to a syrupy consistency, treating the same with alcohol, diluting the alcoholic solution with water, filtering the same and adding to the filtrate acetate of lead, removing the excess of lead by means of sulfureted hydrogen, concentrating the liquid, extracting the same with chloroform, precipitating the new substance from this extract and finally recrystallizing the some from methylic alcohol, the temperature be ing maintained throughout the process be-.

low that at which the decomposition of the new aetive'substance takes place.

3. The process of isolating a physiologically active product from the Apocynaceoz,

which comprises extracting such Apocymom: with tetrachlorid of carbon, eoncentratnig the thus obtamed extract to a syrupy consistency, treatin the same with alcohol, diluting the alcoho ic solution with water, filtering the same and adding to the filtrate acetate of lead, removing the excess of lead by means of sulfureted hydrogen,

concentrating the liquid, extracting the the all same with chloroform, precipitatin new substance from this extract, and

rccrystallizing the same from methylic a cohol, the temperature being maintained,

throughout the process below that at which the decomposition of the new active'substance takes place.

In testimony whereof we haveihereunto set our hands in the presence 0& we subscribing witnesses.

LUDWIG TAUB. 5.]

GEORG FICKEWIRTH. [Ls] Witnesses:

HELEN Nurse,

ALBERT ND'FER. 

